In
the summer of 1901 the early settlers, of which there had been quite a number
that year, being concerned about their children's schooling, got together
to form a school district.
It was in that same summer that a real estate agent, C.C. REED, visiting
at the home of Arthur HOLBEN suggested that
the Holbens call their farm Grand Meadow Ranch! So when Mr. Holben donated
the land for the school in 1902 it was named in honor of the donor "Grand
Meadow".
The school built by S.L. CARSON opened its doors in the fall of 1902 - the
first teacher being Miss Pearce. At the close of the first term in late
June 1903, Miss PEARCE, pupils and members of the community held a picnic
by the river on Walter GEE's farm.
For a water supply a barrel was sunk into the ground to catch water from
a spring located on Gee land just north of the school. Water was dipped
from the barrel and carried to the school for drinking and washing up.
Grand Meadow School was also used as a centre of worship from 1903 to 1912
by the Methodist Congregation with a service being held every two weeks.
The minister came out from Ponoka - Rev. Mrs. PARRY being the first one. Interestly the Grand Meadow district had one been part of the Sharphead
Indian Reserve and the Methodist Mission school and church were located
on what is now the Albert MATEJKA farm located on the S.W. of 26 and S.1/2
of 27.
The Stony Indians buried on the farm died from a measles epidemic believed
to have occurred in the later 1880's.
Unfortunately, the school burned the ground on the evening of January 17,
1948, and the children were transported for the rest of the term to Ponoka
by bus. Today there is not even a land mark to mark where it stood on the
N.W. corner of the S.W. quarter of Section 27, but many are the memories
of those who attended.